METAPHYSICAL CAUSES OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)

*It’s only been recently discovered by Dr. Habba, that gallbladder problems could mimic the causes of IBS. People who experience violent diarrhea immediately after or during a meal, (especially fatty foods) may be suffering from Habba Syndrome caused by an ‘irritable’ gallbladder.

Metaphysically, little annoyances, emotions or attitudes can irritate and create an imbalance in the gallbladder. People affected most are those who don’t like changes, especially to their daily habits and those who are overly stressed by tests and exams. You could say their great anxiety ‘wrenches’ their bowels.

The liver is the organ that produces bile salts when you eat (bile salts help to digest fat) but when the gallbladder’s upset it doesn’t process bile well, causing the body to work feverishly to dilute the bile by adding water in the intestinal tract – the reaction – violent trots.

Manic depressive people (bi-polar) could characterize this….another article to look at in the near future. 11/29/2013

Dr. Habba has his own website but to be honest, About.com makes it easier to understand.

“The most common gastrointestinal disorder is IBS. Though it can affect just about anybody, the most common sufferers are between the ages of fifteen, and forty-five, with females being affected more than males. There are many symptoms within the complex of IBS. Not all patients have every symptom. Sometimes there is intermittent difficulty in swallowing. Acid can refux back up the esophagus from the stomach and cause heartburn, which is an acid taste or or an actual chemical burn. The acid irritation may cause esophageal spasms and produce chest pain that can closely mimic cardiac pain. This is labeled gastroesophageal reflux or GER. Waves of nausea sometimes appear out of nowhere. They can last for hours or for only a few seconds but in frequent, repetitive waves. Gas and bloating are among the most common complains but just as high on the patient’s list is frequent constipation alternating with diarrhea”. WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT FIBROMYALGIA ~ R. Paul St. Amand, M.D., and Claudia Craig Marek

Diana is a client and good friend of mine, who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) . When I asked her to describe how IBS felt physically….the first thing she said was “a constant squeezing cramping, nauseous feeling….like being on a ship rolling in the heavy seas”…then as she thought about it some more, asked me to imagine recovering from a bad case of the stomach flu, where you’re feeling better but still have cramps, loose bowels and ache all over. Well, between the rolling waves and flu-like symptoms I was nauseously starting to get the picture. She said “imagine those nauseous achy, cramping feelings always there, all the time as you try to carry on a normal life and pretend to everyone else, everything’s just fine. IBS limits your life, I can’t remember the last time I went to the movies; you can’t go to certain restaurants because you can’t eat certain foods; traveling long distances is difficult and wherever you go there has to be a toilet nearby.” Diana also has had headaches, backaches, and acid reflux with her IBS.

“This [irritable bowel syndrome] creates severe abdominal pain, gas, constipation and/or diarrhea. This condition is not so much a problem with the intestines as with the nerves causing the muscles to contract and spasm. Anxiety and emotional stress are undoubtedly a major cause, as are depression and feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and inadequacy.

As a child you may have learned to clench your abdomen when under stress, and this is still a natural reflex, causing the muscles to spasm. Alternatively, this is where you hold hidden fears and concerns, creating a distortion of the muscles. There may be intense fear, a lack of confidence, or the nervousness that arises confronting unknown situations. Relationships, also affect the colon, especially issues to do with intimacy and security.” YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND ~ Deb Shapiro

THE GI TRACT

Looking for answers to understand the body/mind connection of IBS, I began the search of gaining insight into what could possibly cause the whole digestive system to go totally off whack. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder where the nerves that control the muscles of the GI tract become overly active and sensitive. The Gastrointestinal tract, also known as the alimentary system, begins at the mouth, then down the throat, esophagus, stomach and small and large intestines. What this is telling us is that the action and movement of GI tract begins its journey at the mouth—where we ingest food and drink and—other people’s values, thoughts, beliefs, criticisms and judgments. All these processes have to be churned, chewed, broken down and swallowed before entering the throat, the esophagus and then the stomach.

“Through the throat we ‘swallow’ our reality. Difficulties in this area can therefore be associated with resistance or reluctance to accept our reality and take it in. Food is what nourishes us and keeps us alive; it is a symbol of the nourishment in our world is often used to replace such qualities. Yet how often were we told as children to ‘eat our words’, and thus to swallow our feelings? As Serge King writes in Imagineering for Health,

We tend to associate food with ideas, as evidenced by such expressions as ‘food for thought’, ‘do you expect me to swallow that?’, ‘you’re feeding me a bunch of baloney’, that idea is unpalatable’, and ‘he was force-fed with the wrong ideas’, The throat, then, and the glands and organs in and around it, can swell up and get sore as a repressed response to ideas that are unacceptable”. Deb Shapiro THE BODYMIND WORKBOOK

Louise Hay in her book YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE says… “THE THROAT represents our ability to “speak up” for ourselves, to “ask for what we want,” to say “I am,” etc. When we have throat problems, it usually means we do not feel we have the right to do these things. We feel inadequate to stand up for ourselves”.

When we have problems with accepting, welcoming or refusing something given, the throat and the esophagus literally ‘choke up’; this could be related to the food you were given, the information you’re receiving from the people around you or the thoughts/emotions/beliefs you’re feeling. Your emotions are greatly influenced by the feedback coming from your own body and from the world around you.

“In general, the throat is a symbol of what we swallow and what we can express. It is tied to creativity. Throat problems in any area can reflect unexpressed anger, stifled creativity, and obstinate stubbornness (a refusal to change or even be a little flexible). It can also reflect a continual speaking with criticism, venom, and/or anger. It can reflect an angry attitude of “when is it my turn?”

Problems in the throat area should be examined in relation to the specific area. The larynx, for example, is the voice box, but it also aids in swallowing. If this is the problem area, are we having trouble swallowing what is being expressed to us? Are we stifling and swallowing our words when we should be speaking out? Are we expressing ourselves inappropriately? Are we afraid to speak up? Are others doing the speaking for you? Do you not feel free to speak of your desires, wishes, etc.”? THE HEALER’S MANUAL ~ Ted Andrews

The highly acidic stomach blends and predigests all that we’ve swallowed (food, thoughts, criticisms, emotions) and ejects them into the duodenum. In the duodenum there’s a dramatic change in atmosphere from the strong hydrochloric acid secreted by the cells of the stomach—there’s mucus everywhere! The duodenum is the place where both bile from the gallbladder and hormones from the pancreas enter the gastrointestinal tract. Specialized hormones secreted from the pancreas and gallbladder help to change the acid from the stomach to a more alkaline solution—if they didn’t, the acid from the stomach would literally burn through the duodenum and the intestines.

“All stomach disorders are the manifestation of a failure or refusal to “stomach” a person or situation that you fear or cannot tolerate. You resist new ideas, especially those of others. It is also difficult for you to deal with someone or something that contradicts your plans, habits, or ways of doing things. You criticize easily (inwardly) and this prevents you from letting go. Your Body’s Telling You: Love Yourself! Lise Bourbeau

The intestines are the largest internal organs of the human body; the small intestine measures at least twenty-one feet in length, the large intestine, approximately five feet in length.

“The intestinal mucous membrane (particularly in the small intestine) is characterized by its numerous coils, which increase the surface in contact with the chyme (food reduced to a pulp by the stomach), optimizing the absorption of nutrients. In the small intestine, there is constant movement: the chyme is re-mixed up to sixteen times a minute. The intestine molts. The cells on its inner surface are renewed every two days. It is a hypersensitive transmitter-receiver of emotions: a hundred million neurons link it to the brain—a super connection. That is why you “feel it in your gut”. Understanding the Messages of YOUR BODY, How to Interpret Physical and Emotional Signals to Achieve Optimal Health ~ Jean-Pierre Barral D.O.

The lower section of the GI tract is the large intestine (colon and rectum), which is made up of 4 sections—the ascending colon, which joins the small intestines, the transverse colon, the descending colon, and the sigmoid colon which is s-shaped. The colon is actually coiled in a single large loop beginning at the lower right side of the abdomen, passing upward and crossing under the liver and stomach to the left side, and then leading downward to the rectum. When the colon isn’t working the way it should, waste in the large intestine backs up, becomes toxic and releases the toxins into the bloodstream—physically it’s a feeling of being bloated, stuffed, constipated or generally down in the dumps.

LARGE INTESTINE

Imbalance: crying spells, confusion, irritation, frustration, stagnation and anger. Thinking you can’t do anything right, wanting to run away and hide from the world. Feeling that you are too different and that no one understands you. Difficulty seeing other people’s point of view. Dogmatically defending your position in arguments. Extremely sensitive, thin-skinned. The Secret Language of Your Body ~ By Inna Segal

“THE COLON represents our ability to let go, to release that which we no longer need. The body, being in the perfect rhythm and flow of life, needs a balance of intake, assimilation and elimination. It is only our fears that block the releasing of the old.

Even if constipated people are not actually stingy, they usually do not trust that there will ever be enough. They hold on to old relationships that give them pain. They are afraid to throw out clothes that have been in the closet for years because they might need them some day. They stay in sitting jobs, or never give themselves pleasure, because they must save for that rainy day. We do not rummage in last night’s garbage to find today’s meal. Learn to trust the process of life to always bring you what you need.” YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE ~ Louise Hay

A healthy gastrointestinal tract can metabolize or eliminate many pollutants that come into your body, but if you suffer constipation, accumulated toxins can become stored in your system and as you eat more chemically based foods, (processed foods) they begin to interact with those that are already there. Colon cancer is on the rise and its main cause is from accumulated toxic waste.

We now know that feelings that aren’t digested turn into a heavy congestive residue. Emotions that become stagnant also collect in different areas of the body causing the digestive system to falter as well as the surrounding organs. Most of our undigested issues, emotions and other stresses and anxieties are known to collect in the abdominal area. This lower region the body can become very toxic when it is forced to hold onto feelings and issues because we’re afraid of dealing with them.

Many people with IBS know something’s gone haywire in their bodies—something’s not working the way it should—or they’re reacting to foods in ways they shouldn’t react. Usually and in most cases, the problem is not what you think the problem is. The problem in most cases isn’t on the outside, it’s on the inside—scientists have proven we have one hundred million sensory (feeling) receptors outside the body but on the inside we have ONE HUNDRED BILLION sensory receptors constantly picking up thoughts, feelings and memories inside your cells. Your body is one big energetic system—traumas, addictions, depression etc., are all memories recorded inside your cells.

Thinking on the billions of sensory receptors inside the body, I traced one of the longest nerves in the body called the ‘vagus nerve’, which runs from the lower part of the brain, down the base of the spine, branching out its nerve fibers to the heart, respiratory, stomach and intestinal tract. What relation does the vagus nerve have with hormone-sensitive cells?

IBS AND THE VAGUS NERVE

“…the most fundamentally important ele­ments in the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus nerve, which is the most complex of all of our nerves. In Latin, Vagus means “wander­ing”. It is termed so because from its origin in the brain stem it spreads nerve fibers to the throat and upper body, and through these nerve fib­ers signals wander to and fro between the body and the brain. In short, the vagus nerve connects the brain to everything from the tongue, pharynx, vocal chords, lungs, heart, stomach and intestines to different glands that produce enzymes and hormones, influencing digestion, me­tabolism, and much more.

The vagus nerve’s considerable influence on your lungs and heart and the connection to your brain is quite interesting. This trinity, brain-heart-lungs, rules your body and governs your mind. The key to managing your state of mind and stress level lies in being able to activate the calming parasympathetic pathways of your nervous system on command. Typi­cally, the will cannot control this part of the nervous system, but if you hold your breath for a brief moment and then slowly exhale, the vagus nerve is stimulated bringing peace to your body and mind.”

The vagus nerve, part of the parasympathetic nervous system has a major importance in the process of our digestion. Not only does it travel from brain to gut—it also travels from gut to brain—a two-way communication system. When the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are balanced, we easily and effortlessly adapt to the many changes and sensations experienced inside and outside the body. But when the sympathetic nervous system over-reacts, or is in distress, the vagus nerve becomes overly sensitive gravely affecting our whole digestive system or GI tract.

“The vagus nerve can be activated in many ways—with pressure, electrical charge, by drugs, and by physiological processes, such as eating defecating, or motion sickness. Activation of the vagus nerve can make you faint—by switching on part of the brain that lower blood pressure and slow your heart rate. This is called a vaso-vagal attack. Sudden pressure on the vagus nerve, where it winds around the great artery in the neck, the carotid artery, or where it originates in the belly, can also make you feel faint. Other activation of the vagus nerve can make you vomit. This is why if you are punched in the abdomen, you feel faint and nauseous. The vagus nerve has a lot to do with the gut—with the stomach, with digestion, with the liver. It is the great nerve cable that mediates those sensations that we associate with ‘gut reactions’. Its role in digestion was one clue that pointed to the vagus nerve as a route by which cytokines in the belly could signal the brain. ” The Balance Within: The Science Connecting Health With Emotion ~ Esther M. Stemberg, M.D.

“Because of rich connections to the autonomic nervous system, the digestive organs are common sites of psychosomatic illnesses. Many IBS sufferers have some type of psychiatric disorder: their IBS becomes more severe under stress. Crohn’s disease has also been linked to emotional distress. Some panic attack sufferers also report bowel disorders, with intestinal triggers starting in the sympathetic nervous system. Other illnesses, too, such as cancer, adult-onset (type 2) diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis are being studied for psychosomatic relationships.

Experts such as Michael Gershon, MD, propose that the stomach actually contains a second brain, rich with neurotransmitters of its own, which triggers IBS. Gershon says IBS is an example of the gut working in isolation, though he recognizes the brain-gut axis such as when “butterflies in the stomach: occur as a result of the brain sending a message of anxiety to the gut, which sends messages back to the brain that it’s unhappy.” Cyndi Dale ~ The Subtle Body – An Encyclopedia of your Energetic Anatomy

Patients with IBS, have been tested and shown to have increased colon muscle activity…a breeding ground of uncertainty, insecurity and anxiety. (Anxiety is usually caused from a stressful event but can also occur without provocation.) When IBS sufferers were asked what they thought brought it on psychologically, change was number one on the list, of the many that followed, came loss of sleep, worry, self-doubt, unexpected losses, indecisiveness, confusion, fear, conflict, anger, ordinary life pressures and a feeling of helplessness.

IBS sufferers often have a tendency to suppress their feelings and their own creative abilities. Feeling insecure they’re afraid of taking risks and will do everything to ignore or run away from problems—running away has many connotations—it could mean physically moving from place to place; sleeping all the time; getting sick; or constantly keeping oneself busy.

The human body is made up of a complex network of energy fields that work together as one unique powerful system affecting us spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. Everything that affects the body affects the mind and everything that affects the mind, affects the body. Many health ailments that crop up later in our lives usually have to do with painful memory patterns programmed in our cells that make our bodies tense and in an up-tight survival mode—unable to stay in the present our minds jump back and forth between the past and the future, forcing adrenaline to start racing through our bodies. Under this intense stress, our bodies release ten times the amount of cortisol and adrenaline. Digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, gas or indigestion are usually part of the symptoms. Our minds too are like virtual hurricanes, spinning out of control.

When the nerves of the sympathetic nervous system become excited, they alert the inner portion of the adrenal glands to send out large quantities of adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinehrine) into the bloodstream. Both these hormones create the classic “fight or flight” response, with rapid blood sugar release, increased muscle tension, improved mental alertness and slower digestion.

It’s no wonder doctors have a hard time assessing IBS within the abdominal organs. Many IBS patients have been through rigorous testings: ultrasounds, endoscopies, colonoscopies, specialists, food allergists, etc…all in an attempt to find and get rid of something that isn’t even there. From the quote above, we learn that many people with Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia are known to suffer IBS symptoms. In fact, in many cases the cause of IBS is Chronic Fatigue or Fibromyalgia.

“Contraction and relaxation of [the] intestinal wall muscles are what propel raw materials on their way to the next digestive station to face the action of various hormones and enzymes. Quite likely the many intestinal glands share in the general problem of fibromyalgia and, along with the muscles prove inadequate for an ideal digestive sequence. Constipation and diarrhea are like changing traffic signals for the stop and go prompting of the digestive and eliminative processes. As you would imagine, this causes serious malfunction in the entire gastrointestinal tract, certainly enough to produce all the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome”. WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT FIBROMYALGIA ~ R. Paul St. Amand, M.D., and Claudia Craig Marek

Another misdiagnosis with IBS is endometriosis. Endometriosis is a female condition where the lining of the uterus, known as endometrial lining grows outside of the uterus in the abdomen and pelvic area.

“….many recent studies have highlighted the need to consider endometriosis during the evaluation of unexplained digestive complaints such as IBS. They note that because endometrial tissue can sometime attach itself to the bowel, certain symptoms that are usually present in IBS – such as abdominal pain, distension and people with IBS.

In light of the misdiagnosis and mistreatment of their illness, the women in our study reflect on the ways in which they had made sense of their own experiences. Many of them began to question their own perceptions of the pain and symptoms because they had been told many times that’s ‘Nothing is wrong.’ …..The women in our study often felt let down by their doctors, they had turned to them for help and had placed their trust in them and yet they did not receive what they needed. In most cases, it had taken several years to get a correct diagnosis, even though some of the women had sought opinions from different doctors and had visited hospitals many times”. The Daily Telegraph: Ibs Dancey and Backhouse

Another cause of IBS could be Candida Albicans. The intestinal tract contains small amounts of this yeast but sometimes antibiotics, birth control pills and a high carbohydrate diet can cause an overgrowth of this yeast, causing a condition called candidiasis. Candidiasis has been linked to allergies, migraines, vaginitis, irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, asthma and many more ailments.

HEALING IBS

When Diana first came to see me, she mentioned feeling weary, worn-out and nervously stressed. She’d had a tough week with her IBS as well as finding herself caught up, emotionally in family matters that couldn’t be avoided. Diana also told me she’d had this dull and throbbing headache for at least three days now.

As we know, IBS can have a tremendous strain on the body’s reserves, hindering its own natural defenses and affecting its metabolism and weakening the immune system. Usually when we’re upset or overly irritated about something, the whole digestive system doesn’t work as it should. Food entering the intestines isn’t always broken down completely, and as a result it reaches the large intestines in a highly undigested state. When this happens, billions of hungry bacteria attack and break-down the food causing flatulence and gas build-up that in some cases becomes almost intolerable. As well, the lymph system and blood circulation are reduced, making it more difficult for the body to absorb necessary vitamins and minerals to keep it healthy.

Usually when a person comes to see me, the first thing I do is look at their overall level of energy. When I shake their hand is it cold/hot or clammy. Just that touch can give a healer subtle perceptions of the different energy flows in the body. I also look at them physically, their stance, how they support themselves…are they standing upright or are they slouched. I also look at their eyes, hair and especially their skin, which is one of the greatest indicators of a person’s health. Then, as they relax, I just let them talk, asking questions here and there, like when their ailment started. I don’t assume at this point, allowing the client to lead as I just sit quietly writing down their symptoms or mentally recording them in my mind. After getting a clearer picture of what’s happening now, I ask if any of this could be related to illnesses from the past.

When Diana and I first met, she looked spacey and anxious; her adrenaline looked racey her eyes blood shot…something I’ve noticed when a person’s creative center is blocked. Also pressure behind the eyes can cause the eyes delicate capillaries to leak blood…with IBS, this could be from gas buildup in the digestive tract. Mental constipation is another possibility.

When we were done with the preliminaries I did a body scan of Diana’s energy…her whole body felt emotionally wired, erratic. Her throat and stomach area were on fire; her abdominal area felt congested, tense, bloated and hot to the touch. There seemed to be a see-saw of emotions that Diana was working hard at stifling and suppressing…the problem with this is at some point and time they will find a way out and when they do they’re like a wild beast on the loose. When this happens, constipation and diarrhea can take turns in rapid shifts and as a consequence make us feel totally exhausted.

Diana also suffered from severe heartburn. I’ve categorized heartburn with that of the perfectionist. Heartburn can happen from an attack on our self esteem, a feeling of being trapped, competitiveness, a hostile environment, or anxious and overwhelmed by responsibilities. Chronic anxiety and worry is closely associated with IBS and ulcers and is associated with perfectionism. Perfectionists are very hard on themselves and others, demanding the best at all times. They find fault in almost everything they do—they find fault in their appearance, their homes, relationships, children, clothes, cars—they can frustrate us to no end with their insistence that everything has to be perfect.

Perfectionists need to loosen their standards, leave the past and move into unfamiliar ground—they need to let go of their fear and move into the unknown. They have to stop manipulating others and their world where they feel they’re in control. They need to practice gratitude to help them relax and be happy with life as it is. Once they know what beliefs and behaviors keep them stuck, they have a greater sense of adventure, trust and enjoyment. They let go of fear and self-doubt and with motivation regain a zest for life.

“A Meditation for Perfectionists

Okay, I give up. I’m ready to stop running the entire world. I’d like to rest. Please (please please) help me stop being responsible for everything. Please help to relax and be happy with life as it is. And, by the way, thanks for all the wonderful love and relationships I have” . Daphne Rose Kingma

The body is a remarkable healing machine…at times it can be thrown off course but we can, through diligence and awareness bring it back to balance.

After her Reiki treatment, Diana was much more relaxed with a much happier expression on her face. We talked about her coming back and looking at other treatments. In the clinic where I was working, several Alternative therapies were available including a naturopathic doctor whom I introduced Diana to. The naturopathic doctor spoke to Diana, explaining to her that most IBS patients have high levels of cortisol in their blood and overworked adrenals. She talked to Diana about breath awareness and self-awareness to slow her restless system down. She spoke of meditation, of going within and finding the peaceful depths of her being…there Diana will find strength and balance, enabling her to transform old habits of restlessness and tension into new patterns. Both Diana and I were nodding our heads in agreement…we’d just been talking about that earlier.

I think most people will agree with me that traditional ways of treating ailments aren’t working us very well. The body itself consists of four levels of healing…spirit, mental, emotional and physical. All 4 need to be implemented to help us heal and integrate them in our lives. If we skip or neglect one, the body won’t be properly balanced.

“Although you likely view your illness as an enemy, you should let it become your ally.” Making it an ally by doing the hard internal work of sorting through the emotional and psychological components of your illness will, when combined with the treatments for the physical factors involved, result in lasting recovery”. Dr. Teitelbaum

It was suggested Diana have a stool analysis to see how her digestion and intestines were working. A stool analysis will also indicate how much residual fats and vegetable fibers are in her feces and if perhaps she needed a digestive enzyme to help her. The naturopath suggested an organic greens concentrate as a drink each day, which not only provided her body with full natural nutrients, it contains large amounts of chlorophyll which is an easy way to assimilate magnesium in the body. Vitamin B6 was suggested for Diana’s immune and nervous system…and its ability as an aid for digesting fat and proteins. Also B6 is essential in the production of prostaglandin, which is necessary for normal thymus function. For her problems with sleep possibly as little as 5 mg of melatonin would help to rebalance her sleep/wake cycles.

Diana was also told to ‘move her body’, the naturpath explained that the lymphatic system of the body has no pump of its own, it relies on body movement to transport lymphathic cells throughout the body, as well as release toxins. Rhythmic bouncing like jumping rope is one quick way to increase lymph flow…another way is Donna Eden’s lymphathic flush and three thump exercises, which are provided as videos.

Another thing Diana was told was to ‘bulk up’ her diet. The naturopath told her, if you’re eating the typical ‘western diet’ then you’re probably consuming a lot of processed foods. A diet with lots of roughage and fiber like fruits and vegetables will help to get the recommended 25 grams of fiber a day. If bloating is a problem with some ‘gassy’ foods, try soaking them overnight before cooking, this seems to help.

Other good sources of dietary fiber are whole-grain breads, pastas, brown rice, beans and bran. But she was warned, go slowly, introducing fiber could make your symptoms worse which will improve within two of three weeks if you stick to it. Unfortunately some people with IBS are gluten intolerant…if Diana thought this may be the case, she could cut gluten out of her diet for a few days to see whether her symptoms improve.

We talked about triggers to IBS, like artificial sweeteners, sugar, lactose, coffee, eggs and more.

And as we already knew, Diana needed to find ways to naturally reduce her stress and anxiety. As she said, we’re working on it.

BREATHING MEDITATION

Breathing meditations help to soften the belly muscles by allowing the breath to move the diaphragm down which allows the lower organs to move outward. When we breath into the feelings and sensations within our abdominal area, we experience different feelings and sensations in our stomach and intestines such as rumbling, gurgling, churning, pulsing, tingling and warmth.

Belly breathing helps alleviate symptoms of constipation and indigestion because it releases incredible amounts of blocked energy—congestion will dissipate, digestion will improve and the whole abdominal area will feel positive energy returning. When awareness flows in we immediately experience a sense of relaxation and a lighter, freer flow of energy because we’re listening to our bodies more closely than we ever did before. We’re aware of our presence, our form and our communication with our body and our immediate surroundings. Belly breathing helps to relieve the stresses we hold onto in different parts of our bodies—even in the upper back and shoulders.

Breathing into the feelings and sensations we experience within our intestines will help to awaken the consciousness within the abdominal area. With practice we’ll experience a whole range of feelings and sensations such as rumbling, churning, bubbling, pulsing, tingling, warmth. The healing intelligence within our bodies will help to alleviate the symptoms of constipation and digestive disorders such as IBS and crohn’s disease. Congestion will dissipate, digestion will improve and the whole abdominal area will begin to feel more and more alive. Breathing deeply and fully into the abdomen helps to relieve the many stresses we hold in different parts of our bodies.

“Breathing into the abdomen or other parts of our bodies can bring anxiety and other unsettling feelings up to the surface. Many of these feelings and issues have been held in the body for years. The unpleasant feelings will dissipate as we continue to breathe into them. These feelings need to be digested so that we can develop a greater awareness and become more present in our bodies.

Our rigid body armor will begin to dissolve whenever we breathe into the tension that we holding within any part of our body. We can further this process by breathing into nay subsequent feelings that emerge. The frozen emotions will become more fluid and this will make it easier for us to process them. Consistent daily practice will enable us to dissolve the stresses, process our emotions and clear stagnant energies before they start to harm our bodies. Processing the stresses and emotions stimulates our minds creative and adaptive problem solving capabilities. Our minds will begin to operate more efficiently so that we can become more highly functional and that will open up a whole new range of possibilities”. Emergence: Heal your body and mind Ben Oofana

Hello my name is Sarah I am 27 years old and reading your blog about IBS and Ulcers both I think I have hit me dead on as if you were talking about me. I also have Endometriosis and about 4 months ago i woke up in cold sweat screaming in pain had what felt like gallbladder attack. I had a burning in my solar plexus,cramping,hunger type pain extreme,sharp knife pains went into my back, nausea,vomiting gag reflex. I have burning everyday all day and small meals do help. I have tried all the pills blockers had all the tests done everything came back normal. x rays ultrasounds every things fine.Still waiting to get a scope done. I am nauseated daily cold hot gassy bloated feel full easy have a hiatus hernia in the area as well. I am unable to sleep just uncomfortable in my stomach.Suffer with Endo issues like constipation,lower right side ovary pain I could go on and on as I really am a mess. I really connected with everything you wrote. I just started seeing a new guy and funny enough this is when the stomach pain burning started and were now engaged and the pain has not stopped. Is there anyone I could see healers, reiki I’m so sick and feel so hopeless. I live in Canada Ontario Mississauga wondering would I be able to see you? or get any information as I AM SO LOST just know that what you wrote sounds a lot like myself. .Please help me Thank you so much

Awesome article. My wife was diagnosed with IBS and she has lots of suppressed emotions going back to childhood that I think are either causing it or making it worse. She also has a redundant bowel. She has lost all her fat and some muscle and has no excess energy and sleeps more than normal. What would you recommend?

First I’d like to let you know, it’s very admirable that you’re seeking health for your wife. You must love her very much.

From what you’ve explained to me, it sounds like your wife is suffering from more than IBS. The symptoms you have described, sound more like “inflammatory bowel disease” (IBD) which would need to be confirmed by her doctor. Unlike IBD, IBS does not cause inflammation or damage of the bowel, though some of symptoms of IBD, and IBS are the same. With IBS, the small and large intestine are out of sync, instead of working in concert and usually react to a food or stressful event causing intermittent emptying of the bowel. With IBD, in addition to the bowels reacting, there is also symptoms of inflammation and possible sores or ulceration in the digestive tract, which may also include the mouth.

Because the intestinal tract isn’t absorbing nutrients properly you wife may have deficiencies in vitamin B12, calcium citrate, vitamin D and protein. Also many people with IBD suffer from weight loss, muscle wasting and malnutrition as it affects the digestion and absorption of nutrients. You should also ask your wife if she suffers from anemia, or low blood, another symptom of IBD.

If your wife is suffering from IBD, I wouldn’t doubt there would be emotional trauma imbedded in her tissues and cells as well as a lot of acid in her system. Excess acid reduces the assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K).

I’d recommend your wife getting an astrological health chart done as these charts can go back in time and indicate her home conditions, her parents and possible health issues. I’d also recommend a lymphatic flush which will release the toxins in her body as well as a reiki/gentle massage to loosen old debris and introduce new energy. The kidneys play an important role in ridding the body of toxins as do the liver and bowel. They filter impurities out of the blood and discard them through the bladder. Each hour blood filters through the kidneys twice! Vitamins, amino acids, glucose, hormones, etc., are returned to the bloodstream while excesses are eliminated in the urine. The body’s truly remarkable 🙂

The gallbladder and liver meridians rule the tendons and elasticity of the muscles, giving the body, flexibility, coordination and balance so these may be pertinent in your wife’s case ~ A Reiki practitioner usually sees imbalances during a body scan. The liver is known as the receptor of family guilt and the concerns of our deeper self. Depending on our genes and eating habits the liver will set off specific attitudes and emotional reactions. It houses all our memories, emotions, pitfalls, death of loved ones, illnesses, etc., It can cause doubt and uncertainty about our life and lean us more to the past then to the future. It affects our self esteem and the ground we stand on.

There’s so much more to the meridians but I didn’t want to make this comment too long 🙂

Some Herbs and Supplement Recommendations (Your wife should check with her Naturopath or doctor before taking these)

Your wife should be eating a gluten free diet and reduce carbohydrates (pasta, breads, grains, cereals, etc.) reduce her sugar intake, reduce alcohol, salt and coffee. She should (if she can) eat as many fruits and vegetables as these are very alkalizing and help to eliminate acids from the body. Fruit juices from the supermarket are a no-no though your wife should drink as much water as she can to help eliminate toxins from her system.

L’Glutamine is an amino acid that helps to heal damage along the intestinal walls caused by a leaky gut. It also acts as an antispasmodic, relieving stomach cramping and relaxing the digestive tract.

A herb called slippery elm is known for its ability to absorb gases in the body and for its gentle soothing action in cases of inflammation of the intestinal tract – it’s soothing nature helps in eliminating easier.

Colloidal Silver is excellent for maintaining balance in the bowels. Colloidal silver has a natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti parasitic properties .. it eliminates infections that trigger conditions like colitis, diarrhea, and gas and bloating. Most health stores have excellent staff that can guide you and your wife to the proper use of this excellent anti-fungal supplement and it will not cause diarrhea.

Vitamin B12 is important as well and should be used in a complex B supplement.

Calcium citrate is an alkalizing mineral that helps to neutralize acids in the bowels. When acids are neutralized our bodies don’t produce gas and bloating and results in less constipation and less loose stools.

Probiotics are importance and a supplement Acidophilus +
in pill form would help. It should contain 11 billion plus cultures of 11 billion live active healthy cells.

Another product I’ve not explored is called Bentonite clay which comes in liquid form and usually taken in 2 oz doses. Again I would talk to your health professional about this as it doesn’t work for everyone.

I tried to make this as short as I could. Wherever you live, a health provider should be able to help you and offer even more ideas that would healing for your wife.

Thank you for the article. It made sense for my situation; I have been neglecting exercise, social environments, and education for a year now (with just laziness as the cause). My body is obviously imbalanced, and possibly trying to tell me something.

However I wanted to bring an interesting phenomenon up. It may sound weird, but I would not share it here had I not found other IBS-sufferers of my age (early 20s) that testified to this same experience as me. The experience was, in short, this: a combination of marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes in one night caused a panic attack in us. Days later, IBS symptoms began to occur, and have lasted nearly a month now.

Is it possible that the body is trying to tell us to avoid stimulants? Because I do not believe this is a coincidence (as, again, others testified to the same sequence of events).

Hi Johnny,
,
It’s difficult to offer advice without asking questions and learning about you. I’m going to take a gamble with what you’ve posted and you can share your insights from it.

It’s very possible your overindulgence flipped from your sedentary ways to one of sharpening your sensitivities. Your body was/is urgently trying to tell you something. We often overlook the warning signs when ‘change’ is due. The discomfort you’ve been feeling just may be wanting you to gain some insight into the choices you’re facing right now. The question to ask, is, are you willing to go with the strong ‘transforming current’ that’s active in your life or are you going to go down kicking and screaming.

When the body is restricted and bound, it will find ways to breakdown and breakthrough the barriers we’ve created around it. Your body and especially your lymph system is probably filled with toxins. I think your body created this surging current of change to get you moving instead of lazily drifting. IBS could be seen as going with friends and white water rafting, instead of slowly rowing. An upsetting shock caused from overindulgence or negative patterns are shaking you up to reconnect your body/mind with your spirit.

An external jolt is a wake-up call to look at the fears that provoked it. This is a time when you can focus and learn a great deal about yourself. Once you’ve understood the message your body’s trying to communicate with you, you’ll feel things calm down and feel a sense of stability in your life. In the meantime, I recommend taking probiotics and prebiotics to help your digestive system return to normal. Most likely all the substances you took in one night, destroyed the good bacteria in your gut. When this happens, we tend to get IBS symptoms. Now you’ve got to find ways to put the good bacteria back. Oil of Oregano tastes awful but works wonders, it contains thymol and carvacol which have anti-spasmodic anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It is used in Traditional Chinese medicine to relieve vomiting and diarrhea .. it’s also great for muscle cramps and stomach problems.
FYO, The lymphatic system detoxifies, nourishes and regenerates tissue, but it has no pump like our circulatory system. The lymphatic system depends on our breathing, exercise, intestinal activity, and muscle action to keep it healthy. When we exercise, our muscles tighten and squeeze the lymph fluid, which is then pushed through the system.
Organs affected by lymph are the eyes, mouth, nose, ears and basically the head area. Also the throat and swelling of glands, the lungs, the stomach and intestines as well as the kidneys and bladder.

Stagnant lymphatic fluid goes from being clear to thick and cloudy at the early stages of toxicity. Adding marijuana, cigarettes and alcohol could cause it to progress to a thick cream impeding the flow of nutrients to the cells. Symptoms of an acidic body include fatigue, pain, stomach pain, arthritis, insomnia, allergies, water retention, headaches, dry hard stools, alternating constipation and diarrhea (IBS)

I cannot thank you enough for your educated response. I will definitely start making the changes necessary and start exercising, avoiding stimulants and I’ll look into the Oil of Oregano and probiotics you mentioned.

This is so interesting and I need to start working on some things asap. I’m off to hospital on Thursday with GI bleeding – going to investigate, but so much of this rings true for me too. I had to go off gluten 2 years ago – get really sick from it now. Have had GI issues always. I would love your help Raven Star – thanks

Thank you so much for your very kind and uplifting comment ♥ . I’m thrilled you found this article informative. You, and others like you, are an inspiration to those who love to share their knowledge with others 🙂

fascinating thank you very much this article must have taken ages to research and write. if ok I would like to share with my clients. Your article deserves to be shared especially if it helps people to start seeing the emotional connection to their illness. Thank you so much.

Dear Ravenstar, this is yet another brilliantly informative article by you. Thank you for the gift of balanced, well-researched information. I will be directing every one of my reiki clients to your site.

I appreciate your very kind and heart-felt comment. As healing practitioners, we are always amazed at the gentle and intelligent flow of Reiki’s healing energy. Both healer and healee merge with Spirit and become the SPIRIT within themselves. Reiki guides and empowers us. You have such lovely energy, may your Reiki flourish ♥

Have had Ibs for last 44 yrs. Now 62, have been to doctors for years trying to figure out what is wrong. Chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fatigue. Just now realizing all the test i have had, ultra sounds, colonoscopies, lower barium, ct scans, even laparoscopy. never found anything, yet the pain is there and the urgent diarrhea. I’m now working on mediating, figuring out what in my past or worries, stress, family siblings is causing this and finally try to rid myself of this and live life. never want to go anywhere and don’t really have many friends but want to change. any suggestions?

44 years of IBS is a very long time. My gosh, you’ve been through the ringer as far as testing … trying to determine its cause. Have you also been tested for Candida and/or leaky gut syndrome? If not, I highly recommend you look into these both.

You are definitely on the right track, meditating and looking at past worries and stresses and family quarrels/upsets/traumas.

I can’t help wondering if you went through some kind of trauma as a child or young teen. Asking your family about past trauma will be a great help, but know we each hold different emotional patterns (or perceptions) within us. What emotionally affected you, may not have affected your siblings at all. I get the sense you are dealing with a traumatic experience(s) from the past that continually provokes and overwhelms your GI tract, every time you eat. The stomach area or ‘gut’ is the body’s largest sensory organ and the most important area of the sympathetic nervous system. This nervous system has been communicating with your brain from the time you were born and reflects your most deepest and secretive feelings.

All the body’s cells and tissues hold memories of traumatic events..even memories you didn’t know were there! If some or most of these traumatic events are stored in your solar plexus area, every time you eat, your GI tract will go into spasm, causing excessive emotional activity in your intestinal tract.

When your awareness is scattered or uprooted from a shock, or chronic illness, it’s almost as if to survive, your energies have to live in another reality. And yes this would affect the spirit too.

An Exercise to label and rate your emotional distress….

Among all the other wonderful things you’re doing to help yourself….this exercise may help. It’s easy but difficult… left me explain….

For the next few days pay attention to your feelings and write a description in a journal or notebook just for this exercise. You’re going to find out what makes you feel good and what makes you feel sad, what irritates you, what frightens you, what makes you nervous, and what you avoid. All you have to do is write what happened immediately after the feelings … “I stepped out in the rain and felt happy … or .. walked into a room and felt uneasy”

This is not a feeling’s journey, it’s like a log without editorializing…

You see we all have the habit of trying to hide our feelings from ourselves. We automatically deny uncomfortable feelings and try to turn them into comfortable ones … it’s not easy to catch yourself doing that.

And if the event that triggered the feelings seems too small to have mattered, your active brain is going to go looking for something fancier and overlook the right event, so this project will be a bit difficult at first ..

Actually logging your feelings is making you accept yourself, and respect yourself, a whole lot more than a hundred affirmations saying “My feelings are all right” or “I’m a good person” The very act of noting something means you accept it.

We can all remember a time when we felt good, positive, bold, but we also remember times we felt rotten, for weeks and just couldn’t get rolling. There is a way to get through the bad feelings fast but squashing them won’t do it.

To work with feelings, you must use feelings. And the more accurately you label your feelings, the greater your chance of immediate relief. Hitting the bulls-eye with your self-diagnosis will pay off.

If you’re feeling hurt, you probably need to cry. If you’re scared you might need to run for safety. If you’re angry then you need to speak out about the injustices done. And though we were trained to control our feelings in public and to think before we act .. it doesn’t mean we should make this a habit in our personal lives.

If you’re not alone with your feelings, don’t swallow them, just postpone them for a moment and go somewhere private to express them. Cry, tremble, shake your fists, curse the injustices. Do whatever the feeling seems to want you to do. Go ahead and groan or heave heartbreaking sighs in the bathroom. Snarl and punch your palm in the coat closet. Shiver and admit you were scared to death. I know it’s hard because we’ve learnt to keep all those feelings in but just a few minutes of expressing your feelings will radically lower their intensity and give them a chance to transform themselves the natural way .. just like a thundershower clears away dark clouds.

Unexpressed feelings are toxic. That’s why nature gave us the tools of expression–to discharge the toxins that have built up inside. Expressing our feelings is the only natural way to turn a bad feeling into a good one. When you’re alone, drop the facade we’ve been conditioned to wear and let the fear and hurt and anger burst out or you’ll carry them around with you for days, until they leak into scenes of your life where they don’t belong and wreak havoc.

Try this Carolina and see what comes up for you. I know your outside activity is limited at the moment, but even watching soap operas or shows that get a reaction from you will help. Even listening to your thoughts in the quiet of the morning, will provoke feelings to come up.